Dying Flame
by Nako13yeh
Summary: When Thor brought Jane to Asgard, he discovered what he lacked to see all those years. Blind was he that he never knew what was in front of him all along. Jane's curiosity, her intelligence and passion, it reminded him too much of his little brother, sitting mad and alone in his cell. With Loki's unwavering resentment, Thor believes it's too late to rekindle dying flames. Mid-TDW!


**Title: **Dying Flames

**Summary: **When Thor brought Jane to Asgard, he discovered what he lacked to see all those years. Blind was he that he never knew what was in front of him all along. Jane's curiosity, her intelligence and passion, it reminded him too much of his little brother, sitting mad and alone in his cell. With Loki's unwavering resentment, Thor believes it's too late to rekindle dying flames.

**Includes:**Deleted scene from Thor: the Dark World.

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><p><strong>oOo<strong>

Thor felt strangely calm.

Despite the relief that Jane had a chance at survival from the Aether, he couldn't ignore the weight that lingered on his chest. He walked out into the market and couldn't help but compare what he knew _then_ to what was displayed to him _now._

The market was large and beautiful.

Various smells that scented its exoticness was mesmerizing.

_Home._

The sun shined perfectly at the cherry blossom trees in the corners and the orange and yellow hue of the leaves of the trees planted beneath the ground almost radiated a soft glow. The patterned stone floor added to the beauty of the people who walked past and stepped roughly on the pavement.

Thor moved among them.

He greeted them as he should be, they smiled in return as if he was the sun who gave them hope and life. It wasn't far from who and what he was. But to Thor, to expect such things from him was absurd. For someone as young as him, the people have forgotten he was just a boy as much as his little brother was, perhaps because of his duties that they seemed to forgo his age.

His actions spoke more than fact.

Thor wandered the streets and couldn't help the memories that fluttered in his mind as he briskly made his way to the lower parts of Asgard.

It felt as if there were ghosts haunting him from the past. He couldn't stop but think as he watched the children run past him. For a moment, Thor was submerged in the memory of walking by Loki's side. It left Thor wondering what it was like had things not happened the way they were supposed to.

It bothered Thor and his conscience did not help him in the slightest.

"_Look at them,"_ He heard Loki's voice ring in his ears.

Thor turned his gaze to the men on the stone steps of the tavern.

"_They're staring at you."_

They greeted him with a jolly hello and Thor returned it with a smile. He walked away and yet he could still hear Loki's voice in his head. It had been Loki's words to him from the past, words that had burrowed themselves within Thor's consciousness. He had been too proud and selfish at that time to admit that he did listen to his brother.

"_What do you think it is that they look for in a King?"_ Loki had asked.

Thor had no answer to it then.

He had ignored Loki at that time, but he had listened.

Loki had spoken of what to look at in the citizens of Asgard. Now that Thor was wiser, or so he believed he was, he was thankful he retained the memory. Thor couldn't help but observe his people now. Whoever he looked at, at the expense of Loki's words, he saw what they were for through their actions.

It was taxing.

"_Everyone wants something in return,"_ Loki had said. _"There's always a secret waiting to be uncovered."_

Thor couldn't bear the knowledge of knowing and untrusting.

"_Don't you see?"_

Had Loki always lived that way?

"_People lie."_

Unable to trust, unable to look at people for what they displayed instead of what they hid, but now Thor knew the benefits that went with it. Yet, he also knew the consequences that burdened him with the knowledge.

"_They also hide."_

When he reached the lower parts of Asgard, he saw someone in the middle of the crowded street. People ignored her, but Thor saw something he never thought he would see.

Apart from Jane, Thor saw Loki.

His little brother stood right beside her as they stared at the lovely toy floating above them. Thor knew his mind was playing tricks on him, but he couldn't help but recall the memory as he watched Jane.

The metal chimed and the springs spiraled together while the metal coiled and floated around it. Thor eyed her to get a better view, and still Loki stood beside her in his thoughts, his gaze unwavering.

Thor compared the memory.

Loki, his little brother, looked innocent with his hair short, green eyes fueled with curiosity that matched Jane's. For a brief moment, Thor's gaze lingered into the past.

"_Amazing, isn't it?"_

"_You still play with that?" Thor chuckled. "That's for children."_

"_No one cares," Loki countered. "I am merely unfolding the truth behind what makes this toy tick."_

"_We are young men."_

"_So you think you are," Loki chuckled. "Wait till you become King, only then will I believe you are a man."_

"_I doubt you are."_

"_What?"_

"_You play with a child's toy."_

"_Mother gave this to us," Loki smiled. "I still keep it."_

"_It's just a toy."_

"_I find it fascinating."_

"_A toy," Thor emphasized. "It holds no value. It floats, it catches your attention."_

"_It is amazing."_

Thor shook the thoughts off as he walked over to greet Jane. She saw him coming and pointed at the object above her. Thor's stare did not break as he watched her fluster over the toy. She turned back to the object and grinned foolishly.

"This thing is amazing!" She voiced. "I mean, the magnetic propulsion alone would advance earth science by decades."

Suddenly, the toy changed and dropped itself towards her.

Jane caught it.

"Uh," Thor walked forward. "Jane?"

"I am so taking this apart."

"Jane."

"What?"

"You have their ball," Thor pointed.

Jane turned to the three boys staring at her. They looked absolutely bored and Thor couldn't help but take the moment in. It was as if time stopped for him as the memory invaded his thoughts once more. The toy on Jane's hands and the look in her eyes, reminded Thor of the look Loki had once held.

"_It's imbued with Seidr," Loki lifted it._

"_A trick," Thor voiced._

"_Do you think mother would mind if I take it apart to look?"_

"_It's a trick."_

"_A trick you'd never appreciate," Loki huffed._

"_Maybe someday I will."_

"_I look forward to that day."_

"_Maybe," Thor smiled._

Thor snapped from his thoughts as he saw Jane's face scrunch in realization. Oh, how it reminded him of Loki, who also expressed his distaste at interruption. Jane threw the ball back to the boys and they ran off. Jane chuckled as Thor walked with her around the city. He felt a tug in his heart as he, only now, began to see magic differently.

Not only that, but he saw the _world_ differently.

At what cost?

A thousand years Thor had spent with Loki, and he had shunned him. Thor had shunned the little brother he had sworn to protect, all because Loki had changed_._ He felt guilt when he refused to visit Loki, when he ignored the call to be in his brother's trial. He no longer believed there was any hope to rekindle dying flames between him and Loki. Thor knew it was lost forever, but a part of him believed there was a small ray of hope.

He no longer had Loki by his side at the expense of a better future.

But was that worth it?

A thousand years, and yet he still could not see a world without him. Thor saw Jane, but in the distant back of his mind, he saw Loki. He saw curiosity linger in Jane's eyes and saw the sense of happiness Loki had shown him before.

"_Thor, quickly now! Close your eyes."_

"_What is it?"_

"_Close your eyes, brother."_

"_This better not be a trick," Thor grimaced._

"_Trick," Loki snorted. "This is hardly a trick, brother."_

"_Alright, do your worst."_

"_I won't hurt you."_

"_That's not what I fear," Thor chuckled. "Go on."_

"_Close your eyes."_

"_Fine."_

_Loki waved his hands and a nearly perfect illusion of Thor appeared striking a fierce handsome pose. Loki took a step forward and covered Thor's face with his hands. Thor was startled, but Loki shushed him. Loki nervously looked at the illusion before he said…_

"_Open your eyes."_

_Thor followed, but Loki still had his hands on Thor's eyes, but as quickly as Loki ordered for Thor to open his eyes, Loki lowered his hands and chuckled at his older brother's reaction._

"_Fascinating, yes?"_

The brilliance and passion Jane had expressed to Thor when they first met also reflected the memory of Loki's own cunningness. Thor remembered it as clear as day, his brother was insanely smart. It was why people looked down on him; because no one could ever admit they were jealous of Loki.

"When you came for me," Jane started. "You knew I was in trouble."

"When Heimdall lost sight of you," Thor frowned. "You were no longer on Earth."

You never know who or what you would miss until you lose them completely, either that or they change into something you do not want. And Thor, how he knew what he had lost, enough to know that returning it to once it was, was useless.

It was only a matter of time before things get better.

"How was that possible?" Jane wondered.

Thor thought for a moment as they stared at the beautiful lake. The memory of it came to him as quickly as it had left. He remembered Loki and he were sitting by the ledge, their legs dipped into the cool water. Thor had listened to Loki speak of tales about events that co-exists with Yggdrasil, and the nine realms.

"_Did you know the branches of Yggdrasil extend to Valhalla?" Loki smirked._

"_Why would I?"_

"_Someday, if one of us becomes King, he would have to know everything about the nine realms."_

"_Oh."_

"_Did you know the Norns tended to the tree?" Loki happily gave the information away. "Our tutors have yet to discuss it with us."_

"_Is that so?"_

_Thor watched his friends play with weapons on the other side while they kicked and dipped their feet under the water. Thor was growing bored listening to Loki, but he listened to him nonetheless, he just pretended not to._

"_Thor," Loki called. "Do you know the relationships between the nine realms are uncertain? Their exact position cannot be stated, nor can they truly be mapped. One must feel Yggdrasil to locate it."_

"_Fascinating," Thor mumbled._

"_If you're bored, brother, you're welcome to ditch my company. We can talk about this another time."_

"_Oh, good."_

_Thor patted Loki on the head and got his feet off the water. He called out to the warriors and ran to them as he held his boots. Loki watched from afar, green eyes distant and lonely._

"_Loki!" Thor called. "We'll continue this later!"_

Thor had pretended not to know, because he feared he'd be thought differently by his fellow warrior friends, but he had not realized back then that it only shadowed Loki further into his life than it did any good. Thor stopped and took a deep breath as he looked at Jane, who waited for an answer.

"I believe you were and you weren't."

He recalled the explanations Loki had told him once.

"_There are other means of travel, did you know?" Loki voiced._

"_Why bother when we have the Bifrost?"_

"_Idiot," Loki snorted. "That is only one way to travel. There are inter-dimensional portals scattered through time and space, tunnels that lead between different universes."_

"_How did you know?" Thor chuckled._

"_Unlike you, I read."_

"_Very funny, Loki."_

"_I am serious, brother. You should know this by now."_

"_Fine, tell me more."_

They had been short, but more than enough to retain in Thor's memory than his tutors could ever help him with. If it hadn't been for Loki's help in his studies, Thor would have most likely failed. He was not interested in knowledge until Loki had explained the benefits it held.

"The nine realms travel within Yggdrasil orbiting Midgard as much as your planets orbit the sun."

Thor took Jane's hands and lifted them to match his own.

The touch was overwhelming.

And the thought immediately invaded his mind. Thor reminded himself that he was staring at Jane, and that he was with her and not his little brother. The scene before him, being so close to Jane, it reminded him of how Loki had stared at him when he was to be crowned King.

"_You're my brother, and my friend." Loki smiled with his eyes. "Sometimes I'm envious, but never doubt that I love you."_

The way Loki was pinned on the ground…

"_The Mighty Thor!" He gritted. "With all your strength! What good does it do you now? Do you hear me, brother? There's nothing you could do!"_

"_Forgive me, Jane."_

He had destroyed the bridge, they fell, and Loki hung on.

"Every five-thousand years the worlds _align_ perfectly," Thor said, feeling out of breath.

"And we call this the convergence."

Thor recalled Loki hung off Gungnir as he held the other end while Odin held his foot. The memory was so vague yet so vivid to him. He could not understand. The pain lingered. He thought he had gotten over the memory, because obviously, Loki was alive. He sat in his cell right now, alone…

Thor had held on all these months, Loki did not.

"During this time," Thor voiced to Jane. "The borders between worlds become blurred.

"_I could have done it! For you! For all of us!"_

But…

"_No, Loki."_

It had all gone wrong.

"_This is goodbye, brother."_

Loki's voice echoed in his head as Thor looked into Jane's brown eyes, but inside Thor was hurting. Loki had stared into Odin's eyes, but he could not bear to look into Thor's. Loki's green eyes were sunken, alone, afraid and ashamed. Thor felt lost as he drowned into his brother's gaze when Loki's eyes met his.

Then Loki had let go.

"It's possible you fell into one of these points." Thor murmured as he smiled at Jane. "We are lucky they remained opened."

Thor turned to his hand.

The very hand that could have saved his little brother's life.

"Once the worlds pass," Thor paused and moved his hand to the other direction. "Out of alignment..."

Loki had fallen…

Swallowed into the void…

Gone…

Forever…

"Then the connection is lost," Thor whispered and held Jane's hands.

Thor was thankful he had listened to Loki. The part of him that believed there was hope to return his little brother to what it once was, had died. But there was no flame that could die if it still had fuel to move on. He was not sure that Loki could be trusted ever again, or if Loki was sincere. He was not sure if his little brother could ever be redeemed, but he knew one thing.

Thor was a dying flame.

One that was large and powerful enough to fight the cold, the dark and the void inside himself. Thor knew he would not make the same mistake with Jane. He would cherish her, because she reminded him of the old Loki.

Wrong was it to compare them, but he could not help it.

Thor introduced Jane to his mother, but no sooner had all of Thor's thoughts crashed down upon him when terror and screams fled their way.

"Loki."

"Go," Frigga voiced. "I will look after her."

Thor did not want to be told twice.

He ran…

And took off to Loki's prison cell where his little brother sat watching the chaos unfold.

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